Picketing for Sales in Israel
Traffic to marketers in America means the number of shoppers in a retail outlet. But over the past several months, traffic has taken on a whole new meaning for Israeli marketers. Several companies have begun to promote their products with de-monstrations at major traffic junctions across Israel. Demonstrators travel from junction to junction based on traffic levels.
They begin their days during the morning rush hour at entrances to cities and conclude them in the afternoon to reach those traveling back home. The more ingenious demonstrators listen to traffic reports on the radio and hone in on junctions that are most congested. Since Israel has a limited number of junctions, they need to arrive quickly and take control of the spot before their competitors or regular political demonstrators arrive.
It is not surprising that demonstrations have been widely adopted as a marketing tool in Israel, says Tel-Aviv-based marketing consultant Yoram Levanon, who notes that demonstrations are an integral part of local culture. But he warns that they can’t achieve all of a marketer’s objectives.
“It is important to separate exposure and influence,” says Levanon. “Positioning a product in a demonstration is cheap and not respectable. Demonstrations might tarnish the image of prestigious products targeted to upper classes. However, demonstrations are suitable and effective for market penetration.”
Eitan Azta, ceo of Target Market Co., a Tel-Aviv-based promotion agency, states that marketing demonstrations enable simple, prominent, clear, and effective transmission of messages. A Zebra toothpaste penetration included television and billboard campaigns as well as demonstrations, at which Target Market staff held signs reading, “The Zebra shall return.” Azta says the demonstrations were enthusiastically received by drivers, who blew their car horns at the demonstrators.
The demonstration boom in Israel is promoting more than mere packaged goods. Demonstrators recently promoted a new branch of a suburban supermarket near Tel-Aviv with signs demanding, “Open the branch immediately!”
Azta feels demonstrations are but a marketing fad and will soon dissipate. In the meantime, numerous clients are requesting that demonstrations be organized for them.
Hezi Lioz, ceo of the Lioz agency in Tel-Aviv, sees demonstrations as a replacement for media. “The advantages of these demonstrations are visibility, the dynamics that arise from constant motion, and lower expenses in contrast to normal billboards,” he explains.
“Apart from the signs, we take advantage of the demonstrations to distribute stickers,” he says, noting that in addition to junctions, Lioz positions demonstrators on bridges above junctions.
Lioz organized a marketing demonstration prior to a major Lotto drawing. “In weeks when the Lotto jackpot was large, we wanted to maximize public awareness to the lottery. Demonstrators with signs were positioned at 70 junctions,” he explains.
Lioz concludes that marketing de-monstrations are effective in increasing product exposure during specific times, in launching a new product, or when an unusual event related to the product occurs.
